


“How do I say ‘Will you marry me?’ in flower?”

by TacosAreTasty33



Series: The One with the Officer and the Florist [7]
Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Flower Shop, F/F, Marriage Proposal, Prompt Fic, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-16
Updated: 2018-04-18
Packaged: 2019-04-22 21:29:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,425
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14317533
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TacosAreTasty33/pseuds/TacosAreTasty33
Summary: For their one-year anniversary, Nicole has a special surprise planned for her girlfriend: she is going to ask Waverly to marry her.But this isn't your typical proposal. This one is full of scavenger hunts, clues with hidden messages, and of course, flowers. So...Nicole really makes Waverly work for that engagement ring.Find out how the proposal plays out in the final installment of the series: The One with the Officer and the Florist!





	1. “Now that the weight has lifted, love has surely shifted my way…”

**Author's Note:**

> Okay everyone, here it is: THE FINALE!! (I’m not ugly crying, you are…jk I’m a mess)
> 
> I have loved this series and loved sharing it with y’all! I can’t believe it’s over, but don’t worry! I’ve got some more fics in the work, so you’ll be seeing me soon-ish :)
> 
> This was written in response to the prompt: Flower Shop AU-“Person A owns a flower shop and Person B comes in, slaps a $20 dollar bill on the counter and says “How do I say ‘Fuck You’ in flower?”
> 
> I found all the flower meanings online at http://thelanguageofflowers.com. The flowers and their meanings will be included at the end of the fic so you can have an idea of what they look like. 
> 
> There will be two chapters, and their titles come from Train’s “Marry Me”.
> 
> As always, comments, questions, and feedback are welcome! :)
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own anything in the amazing world of Wynonna Earp! Once again, I am just a girl, sitting in front of her computer, writing about the characters she loves.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “The ring had been burning a hole in Nicole’s metaphorical pocket for months.
> 
> It was always there, a constant reminder of her desire to spend the rest of her life with Waverly Earp. Nicole had been ready to propose 6 months ago, she had known she wanted to marry Waverly 8 months ago, and she had given her heart away to the brunette 12 months ago. 
> 
> But not matter how ready she felt, she had yet to come up with a way to propose.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So…here we go!
> 
> This happens right around their one-year anniversary! So this puts Nicole a little under 3 months out of recovery!
> 
> I hope you all enjoy this take on how our Officer would propose to Waverly. Being the hopeless romantic that I am, this is beyond fluffy and practically cavity-inducing it’s so sweet!
> 
> Enjoy Earpers xoxo

** Chapter 1: “Now that the weight has lifted, love has surely shifted my way…” **

The ring had been burning a hole in Nicole’s metaphorical pocket for months.

It was always there, a constant reminder of her desire to spend the rest of her life with Waverly Earp. Nicole had been ready to propose 6 months ago, she had known she wanted to marry Waverly 8 months ago, and she had given her heart away to the brunette 12 months ago.

But not matter how ready she felt, she had yet to come up with a way to propose.

Over the past few weeks, she had run through an infinite number of ideas and scenarios...

Going out for a fancy dinner in the city. Getting dressed to the nines. Having the ring delivered before the dessert. Proposing in front of a restaurant full of people. _But Waverly would hate that, how public it was._

Going to _Shorty’s_. To the place where it all began. Dropping on one knee in the middle of the shop. _But do I really want to propose in the place where she works? That doesn’t seem special enough._

Going back to their clearing. Cuddling under blankets and sipping hot chocolate. Pulling the ring out of her pocket. Asking Waverly under the stars. _But we’ve already done something big during stargazing, I can’t recycle that._  

But all of the ideas she had thought of, well they felt repetitive. They didn’t feel special enough. And Waverly deserved special. She deserved the world…and the perfect proposal. 

Needless to say, Nicole ran through idea after idea, but always seemed to fall short.

That was until one morning, halfway through the Officer’s routine of brewing the coffee post-physical therapy while Waverly read her the Sports section from the newspaper, when she realized she _had_ the perfect idea. She had had it all along.

Maybe all of her ideas weren’t good enough or special enough separately, but put them all together and they would be pretty close to perfect. 

As she listened to her girlfriend spout the latest baseball scores from the States, Nicole’s mind wandered and she started to plan. 

She had exactly 10 days until their one-year anniversary. She really had to get a move on. 

\--

It had taken her over a week.

Eight days to scout the locations, write the clues, and burn the CD. Then she had to learn the songs and make sure she could actually still play her guitar post-injury. Which she could, thank goodness. In all, it took her eight days to plan everything out, to the very last detail.

It had then taken her almost two whole days to track down Wynonna.

She knew she didn’t need to ask the older woman’s permission to marry Waverly. That practice was archaic, not to mention sexist. Plus, Waverly was her own person, capable of making her own decisions about her heart and her future.

But still, the redhead wanted to let Wynonna know, wanted her blessing. Somehow, over the course of her and Waverly’s relationship, Nicole had grown to care for the whiskey-soaked, sarcastic woman. Somehow, Wynonna had become another part of her family here in Purgatory.

So after poking around the Homestead and trying a few other places, she finally tracked the elder Earp down at the bar. In retrospect, this was the first place she should have looked. But hindsight was always 20/20 like that.

Nicole found Wynonna sitting on a barstool, hunched over an unopened bottle of whiskey. She approached the older woman cautiously, not wanting to startle her. 

“Wynonna?”

The older brunette slowly moved her gaze from the bottle, eyes finding the Officer as she settled onto the stool to her right.

“Sup, Red,” Wynonna replied, nodding at Nicole. “Whatcha doing here?”

“I uhh…well I wanted to…” Nicole stammered, running her palms across the front her jeans, suddenly nervous.

“Spit it out, Haught. You’re keeping me from my whiskey.”

Rolling her eyes, the Officer couldn’t help but snort in response. “Bottle’s not even open, Wynonna.”

“Don’t I know it…” she replied. Turning her body to face the redhead, Wynonna noticed the nerves, the tension in the Officer. So she took a shot in the dark.

“But I’m guessing you didn’t come all the way down here to help me with my whiskey problem. Nope, I bet you’re here because of that tiny box you’ve got hidden in your pocket.”

Nicole’s mouth flopped open, shock written all over her face.

Wynonna grinned smugly back, pleased she had guessed correctly. She had been observing the redhead all week. Nicole looked on edge, one hand always in her pocket, seemingly latched tightly onto something hidden within it. Add in the fact that her and Waverly’s one year anniversary was coming up and it didn’t take a genius to put all the clues together.

“Come on Haught, you really think I wouldn’t notice?”

“I…ummm…” the Officer replied, hand rubbing at the back of her neck as she tried to wrap her head around the turn of events, “…I guess I should have known someone would figure it out. Do you…do you think Waverly knows?”

Tossing her head back, Wynonna let out a loud laugh at Nicole’s question. “Puh-lease. Waverly may be the smartest person I know, insanely curious, and waaaaay too observant sometimes, but that girl has no idea. Trust me.”

Deeply sighing in relief, the Officer put her hand back into her pocket, wrapping her fingers around the velvet box.

“So…are you ummm, I mean…are you okay with this?”

At the sarcastically raised eyebrow shot in her direction, Nicole backtracked. “I’m not asking for your permission, Wynonna. I just…I need you to know that I’m so in love with your sister and I want nothing more than to be her wife. I want to start a family with her, build a home with her, and grow old with her. I’m asking for your blessing Wynonna, because it will matter to Waverly, and it matters to me. So…are you good with this? With me asking Waverly to marry me?”

The elder Earp eyed the woman in front of her. She thought about making Nicole sweat for a few moments, or mess with her a little bit and say ‘no.’ But with the full force of Nicole’s love-filled puppy dog eyes currently aimed in her direction, well...Wynonna decided to be very un-Wynonna and put the Officer out of her misery.

With a crooked smile, the brunette clapped the redhead on the shoulder and said, “Of course I’m good with this, Hau-er-Nicole.”

Smile falling from her face, she continued, “I may not have been around much when Waves and I were younger. But when I was here, I uh, I never saw Waves truly happy. That is until you showed up. So while I may believe that no one in this entire fucking world is good enough for my babygirl…you get pretty damn close to good enough, Nicole. So…I’m good with this.”

With a dimpled grin, Nicole jumped off the stool. Before she could second-guess herself, she wrapped her arms around the elder Earp and enveloped her in a quick hug.

“Gah, jeez Haught! Just because you’re marrying my baby sister doesn’t mean you can just get all…huggy with me,” Wynonna said, squirming to get out of the redhead’s embrace.

Pulling away, Nicole shook her head, rested her hands on the brunette’s shoulders and replied, “Sorry, Wynonna, you better get used to it! We’re going to be family, after all, and families sometimes hug each other.”

Wynonna rolled her eyes in response, but the ghost of a smile graced her lips. Lightheartedly shoving the redhead’s arms off of her, the elder Earp said, “Ugh fine, just get out of here before I change my mind.”

Nicole backed away and gave the older brunette a two-finger salute in farewell. She then headed out of the bar, ready to begin the marathon that would be asking Waverly to marry her.

\--

On the morning of their one-year anniversary, Waverly roused slowly from sleep.

She had taken the day off of work, and so had Nicole. Back arching, Waverly stretched leisurely in bed and her hands went searching for her girlfriend. But finding only cold sheets next to her, instead of the warm body of the Officer, Waverly blinked her eyes open. 

Disappointed not to have woken up with Nicole, the brunette sat up in bed, layers of blankets pooling around her waist. Eyes scanning the room, she found it empty, with no trace of the redhead. _Sigh_. 

But as her hazel eyes completed their scan, she noticed something on the bedside table. Crawling across the sheets, she swung her bare legs out of bed, and reached for the item.

As she picked it up, the sunflower caught the morning light creeping through the curtains, evoking a bright smile from the florist. But that wasn’t the only thing left on the table. There was also a note, which read:

_Happy Anniversary Baby!_

**_W_** _averly, I can’t tell you how happy you have made me. These past 365 days have been the best days of my entire life._

**_A_** _whole year has gone by, in the blink of an eye. This past year has been full of laughter, smiles, and love. We have done so much together, and we have so much left to do._

 ** _V_** _irtually every minute we have spent together has been amazing. The big moments, like saying ‘I love you’ or moving in together, and the small moments, like singing_ Hayley Kiyoko _in the car or doing a crossword. They have all been breathtaking and perfect, because we were together._

 **_E_** _nough. In my whole life, I have never felt like I was enough. I was constantly reminded of my shortcomings, of my failings. Those people closest to me, who should have loved me and accepted me, were the ones with the sharpest critiques, the harshest words._

_**R** arely did I ever feel accepted for who I was and for who I wanted to be. My parents, my friends, my exes, they all wanted me to change, to be something I wasn’t. They made me hide my scars, my feelings, my problems. So I never felt worthy, never felt like enough for them. _

**_L_** _ove was not something I felt worthy of, until I met_ you _, Waverly Earp._

 ** _Y_** _ou make me feel whole. You make me feel brave. You make me feel strong. You make me feel beautiful. And Waverly, you make me feel like I am_ enough _. So let me return the favor. I want to show you how much I appreciate everything you do and everything you are. I want to show you how much I love you. So…I have made you an anniversary scavenger hunt! You’ve got 5 notes and 5 stops to make. Follow the clues, they will lead you right to me. I love you Waverly, so much. I hope you enjoy your hunt!_

_P.S. Keep all the clues!_

_All my love,_

_Nicole_

_Clue #1: Sunflower_

_I am home to blossoms of all kinds. I house geraniums, foxgloves, yellow carnations, hydrangeas, and orange lilies. I am the place where someone can go for a ‘F*ck You’ flower arrangement, if they so desired._

Waverly couldn’t contain her giggle as she finished the note, or the huge smile that broke out across her face. Her girlfriend was seriously _the best_.

Nicole had set up a scavenger hunt for her, for their anniversary. It was clever and unique, and _so_ them. It was, in a word, _perfect_.

With an excited squeal, she jumped up from the bed, hurrying to get ready. She had a scavenger hunt to start and a girlfriend to find. And she had already figured out where the second clue was. 

\--

Waverly opened the door to _Shorty’s_ , flipping on the lights as she went.

Quickly scanning the room, her gaze came to rest on the folded note sitting at the front of the shop. She skipped up to the counter, eagerly opening the creased paper with a number 2 printed on the front.

 _Waverly,_

**_W_** _ell, you definitely figured that one out too easily, being insanely brilliant and all. But don’t worry, the clues will get more creative I promise :)_

_**I** have one small thing to say, before I give you your next clue. A wise woman once said, “It is good to be loved, it’s profound to be understood.” Now Ellen may have been talking about Portia, but baby, those words couldn’t be truer for us as well._

**_L_** _oving me and understanding me are not easy tasks. I have scars, I have issues, I have walls. But you’ve found a way past all of that. You found a way to show me that everything I have been through has only made me stronger, made me more worthy of your love._

**_L_** _ove, I want to thank you for loving me and understanding me. It is a gift I will never be able to repay, but I will try my best to do just that. Starting by loving you forever, Waverly Earp._

_Clue #2: Orange Blossom_

_Home to stale coffee, grumpy bosses, and khaki pants._

_Hint: Where I first met Wynonna._

Waverly smiled at Nicole’s beautiful words, then chuckled as she read the clue. Shaking her head, she carefully folded the note and put it in her purse, sliding it next to the first one.

Even though Nicole had promised a more difficult clue, this one was easy as well! The florist left the shop and headed for the Municipal Building, briskly walking the few blocks between their two workplaces.

Arriving in front of the glass doors, Waverly peeked inside. She saw Barbara sitting at the front desk, with no Officers in sight. 

The older woman happened to glance up at that moment, spying the brunette outside the doors. She waved enthusiastically at the florist, ushering her inside. Waverly followed orders and entered the building, approaching the desk with a bright smile for the older woman.

“Good morning, Barbara!”

“Waverly, dear. It’s so good to see you! I was wondering when you were going to show up…”

The florist’s brows wrinkled in confusion.

Eyes crinkling in amusement, Barbara was quick to explain. “Nicole asked me to give this to you when you got here,” the older woman said, handing the folded note to Waverly.

The brunette exhaled an ‘ooohhhh’ as she took the offering, quickly opening it. This clue read:

_Waves,_

**_Y_** _es, I have taken you to our places of work, but don’t worry, there’s a really good reason for that. Trust me!! Just keep following the clues, you’ll figure it out soon enough, my little genius :)_

**_O_** _ne more thing I wanted to tell you, before you continue your scavenger hunt._

_U_ _p_ _side-down. Waverly, that’s what you’ve done to my world, my life. You have completely turned everything upside-down. When I moved here over a year ago, to a place in the middle of nowhere, I took a job at a small-town Sheriff’s Department. I was completely unsure of what my future held. And then I met you. You made Purgatory a place I wanted to call home. You made this town a place I wanted to build a life. A life with you. I love you so damn much, Waverly. Now hurry, I’m waiting (impatiently)!_

_Clue 3: Ivy_

_A mystical creature. A golden bottle. A red carriage._

_This place scared us._

_But high above the world, we faced our fears, together._

_Your next clue is waiting for you at the place where you wanted to pay, but I wouldn’t let you._

Nicole had delivered another adorable note, and had also delivered on her promise. This clue was much harder than the last few. The brunette began to pace in front of the counter, muttering to herself as she tried to work it out.

Barbara watched on, entertained at the sight.

_Mystical creature…golden bottle…red carriage? What the…_

Realizing that first line wouldn’t get her anywhere, Waverly moved onto the next one.

_High above the world, we faced our fears…high above the world…our fears…OH!_

With a delighted squeal, Waverly clapped her hands together, having figured out what the clue was referring to. They were both afraid of heights and they faced that fear together at the Purgatory fair, on their first date!

“Thank you, Barbara! Have a great rest of your day!”

With that, the florist tore out of the station, headed for her Jeep. She had a fair to visit.

\--

Pulling up to the fairgrounds, Waverly couldn’t contain her excitement.

She was only two clues away from Nicole! 

Glancing down at the note in her lap, she read the last line again. _Your next clue is waiting for you at the place where you wanted to pay, but I wouldn’t let you._  

“So clever, baby,” Waverly hummed, getting out of the car and heading for the ticket booth.

Approaching the counter, she spotted a familiar face. “Hey, Jeremy!” the brunette greeted the teenager.

“Waverly, hey! I have something for you!” the boy replied enthusiastically, handing her a folded piece of paper.

Grabbing the clue, Waverly thanked Jeremy, promising him that her and Nicole would be by to visit him real soon. Turning on her heel, she quickly headed back to her Jeep. As she slid into the driver’s seat, she opened the note. It read:

_Hey cutie,_

**_M_** _ight have promised you a harder clue, and I hope I delivered! Jeremy was so excited to help us out, almost as excited as Barbara was!_

**_A_** _lright_ _, baby, you are one clue closer to finding me! Just two more stops! I hope you’re enjoying yourself :)_

_so…_

**_R_** _emember our first date here? The Carousel, where you rode the Unicorn? The ring toss, where we won that huge stuffed pink bear that somehow you still have, somehow in mint condition? The Ferris Wheel, that I made you go on and promised we would get through our fear together?_

**_R_** _eally don’t think I ever told you this, but that day was one of the best days of my life. It was the start of our adventure, our story together. I really wanted to kiss you that night, at the very top of the Ferris Wheel. But I chickened out, thinking it was too soon. And then you threw me for a loop and continued our floral tradition, making our first kiss happen in the most romantically adorable way :)_   _Speaking of flowers…_

**_Y_** _our love and passion for your work constantly amazes me and inspires me. I am so grateful that you have shared that part of your life with me. That you have opened up your heart to me. And I love the fact that we have a tradition to honor that :)_

_Clue #4: Myrtle_

_In keeping with the story I just told, your next clue is where our first kiss took place…_

Waverly’s face hurt from smiling so much, but this was what Nicole did to her. She made her so happy, even when she wasn’t with her. All these notes and clues were so sweet and so clever. She seriously couldn’t wait to find her girlfriend and show her just how much she meant to her. 

The brunette put the car into drive and ambled further out of town, heading for the Homestead.

\--

The note was sitting on the couch.

A loopy number 5 was drawn on the front, in Nicole’s distinct handwriting. Removing it from the cushions, Waverly opened the clue, ready to solve this one and find her girlfriend. 

The final clue read:

 _Baby,_

**_M_** _y goodness, you’re almost there! This is the final clue, it will lead you right to me! Hope you kept all the notes, you’ll need them later!!_

**_E_** _ven though you have one more clue, I’m sure you have figured out why I sent you to all these places. Waverly, I am taking you on a tour of our places. I started you off at _Shorty’s _, the place we first met, the place I first fell in love with you. Then I took you to the Sheriff’s Station, where Wynonna brought us back together, giving me the chance to ask you out and continue our flower tradition. Then I sent you to the fairgrounds, where we had our first date, the place where we had one of the best nights of my life. And now I have brought you here, to the Homestead. This place is full of our memories, like our first kiss, our first time. And it’s where we will continue to make even more :)_ _Now solve this last clue, I can’t wait to see you!_

_Clue #5: Peony_

_Come find me, where we spend nights looking back in time, where there were revelations and celebrations. Come find me._

_P.S. Look in your glove compartment, you’ll find a CD. Play it on your drive to me!_

Waverly hurried back to her Jeep, popping open the glove compartment as she slid into the driver’s seat. A CD sat in the open space, with ‘Songs For You’ written on it in sharpie.

Popping it into the player, she sat there and thought about Nicole’s final clue. The first few notes of Echosmith’s ‘Tell Her You Love Her’ began to echo out of her speakers, eliciting a grin from the florist. Tapping her fingers on the steering wheel to the beat, she contemplated the cryptic clue.

_Where we spend nights looking back in time… where there were revelations and celebrations…_

It took her a bit longer than she would like to admit, but Waverly finally figured it out. Looking back in time was Nicole’s clever way of referencing stargazing…They had talked about it before, how the closest star, Alpha Centauri, was so far away that its light takes 4.3 years to reach Earth, effectively letting them look back in time.

_You’re a smart one, Nicole Haught._

And the second line was an allusion to that one Wednesday night under the stars, when they first admitted they loved each other…in their clearing.

_Super smart._

Satisfied with her sleuthing, Waverly added the clue to her growing pile and began her drive towards the clearing on the outskirts of town.

The brunette rolled her windows down and cranked the volume, letting the songs Nicole picked out for her fill the air as she got closer and closer to finally reuniting with the Officer. 

\--End Chapter 1--


	2. “Marry me, today and every day…”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Thirty minutes later, Waverly pulled up next to Nicole’s truck.
> 
> The florist quickly scanned the clearing and spotted the redhead. She was sitting under a large oak tree, casually settled on a checkered blanket next to a picnic basket. Nicole had her guitar in hand and looked to be casually strumming, mouth moving as if she were softly singing to herself.
> 
> Then the redhead glanced up, pausing mid-strum as she heard Waverly shut off the Jeep. With a dimpled grin, she set aside the guitar and got to her feet."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't believe it's happening!! It’s time for the proposal!! AHHHH!!
> 
> The songs in this chapter are Adele’s Make You Feel My Love and Emily James’ Rest of My Days. Please go listen to them, they will make you cry in the best kinda way! 
> 
> By the way, Emily James' song doesn't have the lyrics published anywhere, so I had to listen closely and type them out! Any mistakes are my own. 
> 
> Anyways...I hope you all enjoy the ending :)

** Chapter 2: “Marry me, today and every day…” **

Thirty minutes later, Waverly pulled up next to Nicole’s truck.

The florist quickly scanned the clearing and spotted the redhead. She was sitting under a large oak tree, casually settled on a checkered blanket next to a picnic basket. Nicole had her guitar in hand and looked to be casually strumming, mouth moving as if she were softly singing to herself.

Then the redhead glanced up, pausing mid-strum as she heard Waverly shut off the Jeep. With a dimpled grin, she set aside the guitar and got to her feet.

Excitedly grabbing the notes from her purse, Waverly opened her door, eager to reunite with her girlfriend. 

Both the Officer and the florist hurried towards each other, seemingly unable to get to one another fast enough. Waverly ended up breaking into a run, closing the distance between her and the advancing figure of her girlfriend with short strides. As soon as she got close enough, she launched herself into Nicole's open arms.

The Officer enthusiastically caught her up and twirled her around, eliciting a delighted squeal from the brunette. Their laughter echoed around the clearing as the redhead continued to swing Waverly around in circles.

After a few turns, Nicole slowed her movements, but she kept her arms locked around the florist, not ready to let go of her just yet. Coming to a full stop, the Officer looked up into her girlfriend's shimmering hazel eyes.

“Happy Anniversary, baby,” the redhead hummed, lips a whisper away from Waverly's.

Leaning down, the brunette pressed a soft kiss to the Officer’s mouth before pulling back. “Happy Anniversary, Nicole.”

The redhead’s dimples popped as she grinned up at the florist. She took a moment to observe the woman in her arms: the sun reflecting off of her honey-brown hair, light breeze tousling it, her hazel eyes full of love. She was without a doubt, the most beautiful woman Nicole had ever seen.

Moving to capture Waverly’s lips once more, Nicole poured everything she was feeling into the kiss. The brunette moaned at the instant heated nature of the kiss, arching her body into Nicole's. She tangled her hands in the Officer's fiery locks, knowing she would be content to stay wrapped in Nicole’s arms, kissing her for the rest of the evening.

But the Officer had other plans.

After a few moments, Nicole slowed down their kisses and then reluctantly pulled back, a little breathlessly. As she set Waverly down onto her feet, the Officer grabbed one of the brunette's hands and laced their fingers together. Taking a few deep breaths, Nicole prepared for the huge moment to come.

“So…you figured out all of my clues and found me,” the redhead beamed, slowly leading the brunette towards the blanket.

Grabbing the notes out of her purse with her free hand and waving them in the air in response, the florist replied, “I did! Your clues were very good, baby.” 

“I’m glad you thought so! But that was only the beginning…” Nicole said, helping the florist down to the ground, taking the notes from her. 

“There’s more?” the brunette asked, continually mesmerized and in awe at the lengths her girlfriend would go for her.

Placing the notes next to the picnic basket, Nicole turned back around to sit in front of Waverly. “So much more, baby. Now…you get to choose. Food or music first?”

The florist rubbed her hands together, mulling over her options. As intrigued as she was about the guitar and hearing Nicole play for her, Waverly’s rumbling stomach made the decision for her. With a sheepish grin, the brunette nodded her head in the direction of the basket.

With a compliant bow, Nicole left the guitar untouched for now, reaching for the picnic basket instead. “Food it is! So, I have packed us a very traditional picnic lunch. I’ve got some sandwiches, a few bags of chips, a fruit salad, and some wine.” 

Shaking her head in wonder, Waverly said, “You really thought of everything, didn’t you?”

The compliment evoked a blush from the redhead, who tried to remain focused on opening the small wine bottle in her hands. After she had poured the deep maroon liquid into small mason jars and then plated their food, the two sat in comfortable silence, enjoying each other’s company and the beautiful summer day. They swapped small talk and easy smiles, content just to be together.

As the meal wound down, Waverly felt her eagerness to hear Nicole play the guitar grow exponentially. She had been dreaming of this moment since she had discovered the worn guitar case in Nicole’s apartment during the move. With the Officer recovering from her injury, Nicole hadn’t been able to play for her these past few months. But now it seemed as if Waverly would finally get to hear her super sexy girlfriend serenade her.

Finishing off the last of her wine, she turned to face the redhead. Raising a brow at the other woman, she nodded expectantly at the instrument.

“Time for some music?”

Nicole’s throat bobbed nervously as she swallowed the last of her wine.

“As you wish."

Clearing her throat, Nicole picked up her instrument and put the strap around her shoulder.

"Now…you know, after many hours spent together in the car, that I do not have the best voice. I am definitely nowhere near your level of talent! But…I’m actually decent at the guitar. My umm my brother was the one who taught me how to play. Mainly just so that I could impress girls,” the redhead laughed, eyes twinkling as she looked at her girlfriend. “So…I hope I learned enough to impress you.”

The redhead pulled out a rainbow-colored pick from her pocket and began to strum, tuning the chords before she began. Satisfied with the sound, the Officer took one final deep breath, one final glance up at her girlfriend, before letting her eyes close as she began to play.

 

_"When the rain is blowing in your face_

_And the whole world is on your case_

_I could offer you a warm embrace_

_To make you feel my love…”_

 

Nicole opened her eyes and looked up from the guitar at the end of the first few lines to gauge the brunette’s reaction. She could see a radiant smile on Waverly’s face, unshed tears in her eyes. Gaining confidence, the Officer continued crooning, eyes sliding closed once more, getting lost in the music.

 

_“When the evening shadows and the stars appear_

_And there is no one there to dry your tears_

_Oh, I could hold you for a million years_

_To make you feel my love._

_I know you haven't made your mind up yet_

_But I will never do you wrong_

_I've known it from the moment that we met_

_No doubt in my mind where you belong._

 

_I'd go hungry; I'd go black and blue_

_And I'd go crawling down the avenue_

_No, there's nothing that I wouldn't do_

_To make you feel my love._

_The storms are raging on the rolling sea_

_And on the highway of regret_

_The winds of change are blowing wild and free_

_You ain't seen nothing like me yet._

_I could make you happy, make your dreams come true_

_There's nothing that I wouldn't do_

_Go to the ends of this Earth for you_

_To make you feel my love, oh yes_

_To make you feel my love.”_

 

Finishing the song, the redhead opened her eyes once more and looked up at the florist. Waverly had an almost reverent expression on her face, causing Nicole to lean towards the brunette and press a tender kiss to her lips. One the florist returned enthusiastically.

After a few moments, the Officer pulled back, dimples popping in the sun, as she readjusted the guitar. “Alright, one more song Waves, then it’s surprise time.”

Brows wrinkling in confusion, Waverly said, “You mean this isn’t the surprise?”

Shaking her head, the redhead replied with a dimpled grin, “Nope, this is just the warm up.”

It only took a few strums of the guitar for Waverly to recognize the melody. It was a song she had mentioned to Nicole in passing a few months ago. She hadn’t realized the Officer had even been paying attention as rambled on about Emily James and how wonderful her new album was. But of course Nicole was paying attention and listening to her, she always was.

Nicole’s sweet soprano interrupted the brunette’s thoughts.

 

_Golden,_

_Everything’s golden,_

_My love when you're holdin’, holdin’ me._

_Roses,_

_A thousand red roses,_

_Surround us and slowly fall to our feet._

_Well every evening with you my dear is enchanted,_

_I vow right now I won’t take one moment for granted._

_Oh cause I know in this life, we’ve only got so much time,_

_So pull me in close and promise you’ll always be mine._

_I’m right by your side, lookin’ into your eyes,_

_Thinkin’ I’d be the luckiest fool,_

_If I got to spend the rest of my days with you._

_Take me,_

_I’ll be your lady,_

_Our chariot is waiting,_

_To carry us home._

_Unveil your heart,_

_Oh don’t be scared,_

_We’re starting a fairytale of our own._

_Well I wanna live every page and every chapter,_

_Your love is all that I need to be happy ever after._

_Cause darling you make this world brighter with every smile,_

_Even the sun envies how brilliant you shine._

_I love you and all that I know to be true,_

_Is that I’d be the luckiest fool,_

_If I got to spend the rest of my days with you._

 

Finishing with a final strum of the chords, Nicole swallowed the emotions that song had brought to the surface, choked back her tears.

She knew playing this song would be emotional. And she knew playing this song, with this kind of message, might be tipping her hand a bit, but it perfectly captured how she felt about Waverly. How she felt about wanting to spend the rest of their days together.

Letting out a deep breath, the Officer opened her eyes and placed her pick between the strings. Removing the strap from around her shoulder, she carefully placed the guitar on the blanket next to her and finally looked up at the brunette. 

Waverly had an awestruck smile on her face, tears gathered in the corners of her hazel eyes.

“Baby…that was…wow.” 

“Yeah?” Nicole asked, hesitant smile on her face. 

Surging forward, Waverly knocked the redhead back onto the blanket, connecting their lips together in a searing kiss. Placing her hands on either side of Nicole’s head, the florist lifted slightly up, releasing the Officer’s lips, set on continuing her compliments.

“Damn, baby! You...you did Adele’s “Make You Feel My Love” like almost better than her!! And I had no idea you were paying attention when I said I loved that song by Emily James! Nicole…that was amazing!”

Brown eyes darted between the hazel ones above her as Nicole's dimpled grin grew. “Thanks baby, I’m really glad you liked it! But…are you ready for the surprise now?” 

Placing a chaste kiss on the Officer’s lips, Waverly pulled back, helping Nicole up into a sitting position. 

“Now this next part requires a little setting up. So you go sit here,” Nicole directed, helping Waverly scoot over to one side of the blanket, “and close your eyes. I’ll let you know when you can open them. Okay?” 

“Okay. Go do your thing, baby,” the florist replied, placing her hand over her closed eyes so that she wouldn’t be tempted to peek.

Nicole just couldn’t help herself. Her girlfriend was too cute, sitting there with her hand covering her eyes. So she pressed a quick kiss to Waverly’s lips, eliciting a surprised giggle from the brunette.

Moving back, she waved her hand in front of the florist’s covered eyes. Getting no reaction, Nicole was convinced Waverly wasn’t peeking and so she stood up and began to set everything up.

First, the redhead grabbed the notes Waverly had brought, laying them out in number order. Then she went to the picnic basket and pulled out the flowers she had been hiding in there. Nicole gently laid down the five flowers, each one corresponding to the flower referenced in the clue. Lastly, she reached into her discarded jacket and pulled out the small velvet box. She delicately removed the ring from within and put the empty box in the basket.

The engagement ring she had picked out was rose gold in color. It had a braided band and was finished with a princess cut diamond. It wasn’t anything flashy or crazy expensive. But when she saw the ring sitting in the glass display case, she had instantly pictured Waverly. So, in her mind, it was perfect.

Wiping her sweaty palms on her jeans, she put the ring into her front pocket, hidden for the time being. Crouching in front of the brunette, the Officer gently lifted the hand covering Waverly’s eyes.

Hazel eyes blinked open, readjusting to the brightness of the day.

“Ready?” Nicole asked, hoping her voice wasn’t shaking with nerves.

“Born ready, baby. Let’s see what you’ve got,” Waverly replied, gazing past the crouched woman at the blanket behind her.

The Officer quickly moved out of her way, walking around and coming to a stop behind the line of notes and flowers. She knelt down, falling onto both knees on the ground, leaning back against her calves and heels.

She saw the florist crawl to sit in front of the display, gazing intently at each note and each flower. Nicole could practically see the gears turning in her head. When Waverly's gaze finally rose to meet hers, full of questions and unbridled curiosity, the redhead decided to jump in.

“So…clearly my notes had more to them than just sending you all around Purgatory. In addition to my slightly terrible clues, I titled each one with the name of a flower, and also hid messages within them.”

With one final deep breath, the Officer gestured at the first note and the sunflower resting on top of it, beginning her proposal.

“The first clue I left you was titled Sunflower. This was an obvious choice, since it’s your favorite. But what might not have been so obvious was the hidden message in the note. If you look carefully, you’ll notice that the first letter of the first word in every paragraph spells out something.”

The brunette reached for the note, bringing it closer to her. Eyes scanning the page, she figured out the message quickly.

“Waverly?”

Nodding, the redhead continued. “Yeah…then the second clue was titled Orange Blossom. I picked this flower out because it symbolizes eternal love.”

Waverly delicately moved the blossom off the paper, placing it gently next to the sunflower. She then picked up the second note and quickly put together the letters.

“Will?”

Another nod from the Officer, this time accompanied by a small smile. 

“The third clue was titled Ivy. This flower represents…wedded love.”

Waverly’s eyes shot up, finding Nicole’s gaze at the word ‘wedded’. She searched the chocolate brown eyes of her girlfriend, looking for any indication that where her mind had jumped (wedded=marriage!!) was, in fact, correct. But all she found swirling in those familiar eyes was love, with a slight hint of nerves. So she tried to calm her racing heart, tried to focus on the words on the page of the 3rd note.

“You…” she whispered, finding the word easily.

Releasing another deep breath, Nicole moved onto the fourth clue. “The next one was titled Myrtle, which is a flower that represents the Hebrew emblem for marriage.”

Tears gathered in Waverly’s eyes as her suspicions were confirmed. This was going where she thought it was. Glancing down at the fourth note, she assembled the five letters together.

“Marry,” she exhaled, eyes rising in search of her girlfriend. 

But Nicole was no longer in the same position she had been in. In the time Waverly had used to find the word, she had brought one leg up in a bent position, leaving her down on one knee. 

“Yeah, Waves, that's it. And then the fifth clue was titled Peony, which is a flower that symbolizes both a happy marriage and a gay life. The last message is the word ‘me’. So when you add it all up, the flowers and the words and everything, I’m asking you one very important question…” 

Bringing the ring out of her pocket, she held it out towards the brunette. Waverly covered her mouth with both hands, eyes widening at the sight of the ring. 

“Waverly Earp. You’re it for me. You’ve been it for me from the very beginning. I fell in love with you before I even walked into _Shorty’s_ the first day we met. And I have been falling for you every day since. You have become my home. You have captured my heart. You have bewitched me, body and soul…And I know I totally borrowed that line from _Pride and Prejudice_ , but you can yell at me for my plagarism later.”

A giggle escaped the florist, as tears slowly began to leak from the corners of her eyes.

“Anyways…my huge, life-changing question for you, is this: Waverly Earp, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife? Will you make me the happiest and luckiest woman in the world? Waverly…will you marry me?” Nicole finished, ring outstretched, heart on her sleeve, awaiting a response.

For a moment, Waverly just sat there, tears spilling down her cheeks, eyes darting between the ring and the Officer’s own misty eyes. Suddenly, she began to rapidly nod her head, moving towards the kneeling redhead. Coming to a stop in front of Nicole, Waverly brought her hands up to cup the Officer’s cheeks, a look of wonder in her eyes.

“Yes, Nicole…a million times yes!” she replied, leaning in to capture the redhead’s lips with her own. The two shared an impassioned kiss, both communicating so much in the briefest but most intense of touches. 

As the florist reluctantly pulled back, she opened her eyes and looked down at the ring in Nicole’s hand. She gazed in awe at the piece of jewelry, taking in its every nuance and detail. The Officer quickly got the hint and grabbed Waverly’s left hand in her own. She slowly slid the ring onto the brunette’s finger, smile widening at the gesture. 

When the ring was finally in place, Waverly put her hands back on Nicole’s face, thumbs tracing her cheekbones. The Officer’s own hands came up to grip the other woman’s wrists, keeping them close together.

“Nicole Haught…I love you, so much. And I can’t wait to be your wife.”

A single tear escaped the Officer’s eye, only to be caught by the delicate stroke of Waverly’s thumb. With a watery smile, the redhead replied, “I love you too, Waverly.”

After a few moments full of heart eyes and face-splitting grins, Waverly’s gaze filled with humor. Seeing the change in the florist’s expression, Nicole asked, “What is it, baby?” 

“Well I was just thinking…this really puts my anniversary gift to shame.” 

Tilting her head to the side in amusement, Nicole asked, “And what did you get me?”

The brunette paused. “…A unicorn onesie…”

The Officer threw hear head back in laughter. “Baby, that’s…that’s the most perfect gift ever, I can’t wait to try it on!”

Waverly grinned at Nicole’s enthusiasm, knowing that there was much more than the onesie waiting for the Officer at home.

Because while Nicole had gone to extravagant lengths to propose, Waverly was simpler in her approach. So sitting in the pocket of the unicorn onesie, was a silver-banded, classic-cut, diamond engagement ring.

Waiting to be found by her future wife.

\--

Six months later, and most of Waverly’s predictions from that day in the hospital had come true.

Their wedding day _was_ one of the happiest days of their lives. 

Nicole had worn a suit and she had worn a white dress, flower crown on her head. Their friends and family had all shown up. They had gotten married in the spring, with bunches of sunflowers as their decorations. 

And when the ceremony was over, when they each had their respective wedding bands on their ring fingers, they took a quiet moment to themselves before the reception started.

Warm hand cupping the side of Waverly’s face, Nicole let her thumb trace along her wife’s angular cheekbone as she sighed reverently, “I love you, Waverly Haught-Earp.” 

Turning her face to press a soft kiss to the palm of her wife’s hand, Waverly shot the redhead a radiant smile. “And I love you Nicole Haught-Earp…forever.” 

Nicole leaned down and kissed Waverly soundly, pouring all of her emotions into the kiss. Every bit of happiness, of gratitude, of love she had experienced over the last few hours, over the last almost year and a half. The redhead effectively poured her heart and soul into it, and she knew Waverly had as well. 

Pulling away breathlessly, Nicole rested her forehead against her wife’s and stared deeply into her hazel eyes, seeing nothing but love and devotion swirling within them. A single word bubbled up in Nicole’s chest and escaped her parted lips, whispered into the air between them. 

“Forever.”

\--End Chapter 2--

Flowers in this chapter and their meanings:

-Orange Blossom: Eternal love and marriage

Source of photo: https://www.theflowerexpert.com/content/aboutflowers/stateflowers/florida-state-flowers

 

-Ivy:Wedded love

Source of photo: http://gardenologist.org/does-ivy-have-flowers/

 

-Myrtle: Hebrew Emblem of Marriage

Source of photo: http://www.flowermeaning.com/myrtle-flower/

 

-Peony: Happy marriage/Gay life

Source of the photo: https://www.homedepot.com/b/Outdoors-Garden-Center-Garden-Plants-Flowers-Flower-Bulbs/Peony/N-5yc1vZc8rtZ1z0n6ms

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaaand it's over.
> 
> Brb, gonna go ugly cry and eat some ice cream. Maybe watch a Wayhaught compilation on Youtube or something. 
> 
> Jk I'm going to go write, because I have THE BEST idea in the works (or at least I think it's the best) and my homegirl Sherbear is helping me with it. It's a few weeks out from being ready to be published, but stay tuned :)
> 
> So anyways, I hope y'all have enjoyed this fic!! It has meant the world to me to get such a positive reaction from all of you. I had no idea that this would turn into something people like...actually read and enjoyed. 
> 
> But I have loved interacting with all of you and hearing about what this story has meant to you. I don't pretend to be a fabulous writer or anything, but y'all don't ask me to be. You accept me, flawed grammar, cheesy storylines, and all. So from the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU for everything. Thank you for jumping on this train and joining me on this journey! 
> 
> I love ya, Earpers! Until the next fic :)
> 
> xoxo

**Author's Note:**

> Okay Earpers, I hope y'all liked it!
> 
> I really struggled with how to make this all happen. But once I got the idea of an anniversary scavenger hunt, I just couldn't let it go! It just seems to fit, you know? I felt like it was something Nicole would totally do for Waverly!
> 
> And if y'all put your detective hats on, I'm sure you can pick up on the hidden clues within each note...but let's just say Waverly is far too excited to find her girlfriend to pay attention to those little details ;)
> 
> Next chapter will be the last one...sad :( But it's a chapter full of fluff and cuteness and maybe some singing...?
> 
> So stay tuned for the final update on Wednesday! Until then Earpers, xoxo


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